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[Saumaise, Claude]; Milton, (John); [Rowland, John]; Phillips, (John); [Du Moulin the Younger, Pierre]; Milton, (John): 1) Defensio regia pro Carolo I [...]; 2) [...] Angli pro Populo Anglicano Defensio Contra Claudii Anonymi, alias Salmasii, Defensionem Regiam; 3) Pro Rege et Populo Anglicano Apologia, Contra Iohannis Polypragmatici, (alias Miltoni Angli) Defensionem Dest 1) Sumptibus regiis; 2) Londini [i.e. Utrecht]: Typis Du-Gardianis; 3) Antwerpiae [Antwerp]: Hierony 1652; 1651; 1652; 1652; 1652; 1654. 6 works bound as 1. 12mo., pp. 444; [xx], 244; [xvi], 175, [i]; 112; [xvi], 148; [xvi], 128. Woodcut devices to title-pages (including arms to the 2nd and 4th works), initials and head-pieces. Occasional very faint dampstaining to a few leaves; Phillips p.71 too lightly printed but only the last line illegible, and bottom margins unevenly cut. Contemporary vellum, title faintly inked to spine but largely illegible, fore-edges turned in. Spine damaged with three vertical splits, an area of loss approx. 5 x 1.5cm and some chips to endcaps, vellum a little grubby. An internally clean copy, soundly bound despite the defective spine. Purple inkstamp of Brandenburgische Landeshochschule (part of the University of Potsdam) applied as follows: Saumaise, title-page verso; Milton, p.241; Du Moulin p.53. Also to Saumaise, title-page verso, a second, fainter inkstamp. To ffep, a tiny and sadly illegible inscription dated 1664. Saumaise was a French protestant scholar, internationally famous during his lifetime and now perhaps best remembered for the first work in this collection, Defensio regia pro Carolo I. One of the first published defences of Charles I, it appeared anonymously (though the identity of its author was widely known) in 1649, with a French translation also by Saumaise following soon after the inital publication. Charles II helped to cover printing costs, and donated a further £100 to the author. The Council of State considered the work highly damaging to trade relations with continental Europe and commissioned Milton to write a reply. That reply is the second work we find here, now commonly known as Defensio Prima. The second Earl of Bridgewater notes in his copy, now in the Huntington Library, that (in Latin) 'this book is most deserving of burning, its author of the gallows'. 'This judgement, which was typical of English royalist reactions, was echoed in the chancellaries of Europe, and it was to the educated citizens of Europe (especially those of the United Provinces) that Milton addressed his defence of the regicide.' (ODNB). Defensio Prima was ordered to be printed on 23rd December 1650, and ran to more than a dozen editions in its first two years. The third work in this collection, Rowland's Pro rege et populo Anglicano apologia was the first published response to Milton's tract, its title calling him 'John the Multifarious, alias Milton the Englishman''. This tract was published anonymously in Antwerp and was initally erroneously attributed to John Bramhall. Poorly written in clumsy Latin, Milton did not respond to it himself but left the task to his nephew John Phillips (though he is now believed to have revised Phillips' and corrected his Latin). Phillips' response is the fourth work included here. Things escalated in August of 1652 when Regii Sanguinis Clamor ad Coelum [...], the fifth work found here, was anonymously published. 'The Clamor contains a brutal personal attack on Milton in its opening pages, and concludes with a 245-line poem that renews the attack. The author of this work was almost certainly the Anglican divine Peter Du Moulin, who sent it to Salmasius in order that it could be published in the Netherlands; Salmasius passed the manuscript to Alexander More, a minister of the Reformed church. More (Latin Morus) contributed a preface to Du Moulin's treatise, and sent it to Adriaan Vlacq, who published it in The Hague. Milton mistakenly assumed that More was the author of the treatise, and although he was apprised of his error by John Durie and Samuel Hartlib, he stood by his mistake and flatly refused to be dissuaded.'(ODNB) Milton reponded to The Clamor in May of 1654, still believing More to be his attacker, with Defensio Secunda the sixth and final book of this collection, Milton presents a picture of his own early life as a paragon of virtue while making a deeply personal attack on More for supposed sexual indescretions and immorality. This collection ends there, but the row continued through three more works published after its compiler presumably gave up: More defended himself in October 1654 with Alexandri Mori ecclesiasticae et sacrarum litterarum professoris fides publica, contra calumnias Ioannis Miltoni and added a further Supplement early the following year; in August of the same year Milton published his third and final response, Joannis Miltonii Angli pro se defensio contra Alexander Morum, ecclesiasten, libelli famosi, cui titulus, 'Regii sanguinis clamor' […] authorem recte dictum, still doggedly and wrongly attributing The Clamor to More. Ref: 51397

Southcott, Joanna; Foley, Thomas P.; Sharp, William: The Answer of the Rev. Thomas P. Foley, to the World, who hath blamed his faith in believing it was a command of the Lord to put in print such parables, as he printed last year at Stourbridge under the title of 'What Manner Of Communications Are These?'; An Answer to the World, for putting in print a book in 1804, called 'Copies and Parts of Copies of Letters and Communications, Written from Joanna Southcott' [...]; The Controversy of the Spirit with the Worldly Wise, as Given Through Joanna Southcot Stourbridge: J. Heming; London: S. Rousseau; London: Galabin & Marchant; London: Galabin & Marchant; 1805; 1806; 1811; [1811]; [n.d. c.1812]. 5 vols. bound as 1. 8vo., pp. 96, 96; 52; 52; 64. Fifth work lacks its final leaf. A bit toned, sporadic foxing and light staining, some leaves a little grubby, creasing to first title-page. Contemporary marbled paper-covered boards, home-made cloth spine glued to boards and attached to textblock along upper joint with a quite rustic line of stitching. Very worn and scuffed, paper pattern darkened almost to the point of vanishing, corners fraying. A battered but very characterful compilation. Ownership inscription of Joseph Ainley to rear paste-down. Tipped to the front paste-down is a handwritten sheet reproducing lines from Southcott's 1814 publication, Wisdom Excelleth the Weapons of War. A collection of pamphlets by or about the prophet and writer Joanna Southcott (1750–1814). She was enormously prolific: 'Between 1801 and 1814, Southcott published some sixty-five pamphlets, totalling almost 5000 pages; moreover, her unpublished manuscripts amount to twice the number of pages in print. By one conservative estimate, a total of 108,000 copies of her various works were published and circulated from 1801 to 1816, making her one of the most popular writers of her time (Hopkins, 84). One reason for the immediate appeal of her texts is their unique mix of apocalyptic optimism with down-to-earth narratives about everyday life, which she converts to spiritual account.' (ONDB) The first pamphlet in this collection was written by Thomas Philip Foley and the second by William Sharp. Foley, rector of Old Swinford near Stourbridge, Worcestershire, and Sharp, a master engraver, were followers of the prophet Richard Brothers. In 1801 (whilst Brothers was imprisoned on grounds of insanity) they travelled with several of Brothers' other followers to meet Southcott and test her credibility. A year later they assisted in her move to London, becoming loyal friends and helping to spread word of her prophecies. Ref: 49171

Spelman, Henry: Glossarium Archaiologicum: Continens Latino-Barbara, Peregrina, Obsoleta, & Novatæ Significationis Vocabula; Quæ post labefactatas a Gothis, Vandalisque res Europæas, in ecclesiasticis, profanisque scriptoribus; variarum item gentium legibus antiquis municipalibus, chartis, & Londini: excudebat Tho. Braddyll, & prostant apud Georg. Pawlett, & Guil. Freeman [...] 1687. Third edition. Folio, pp. [xxii], 576 + engraved portrait frontispiece. Title-page in red and black, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces, double-column text. Dampstain to gutter from preliminary blanks to first leaf of text, occasional light patchy toning, a few faint ink blots. Later 18th-century brown, lightly diced calf recently rebacked in goatskin with raised bands, black and gilt morocco title label. Gilt borders and armorial centrepiece to each board, all edges coloured yellow, marbled endpapers reinforced with cloth at hinges. Spine very slightly rubbed at head and tail, board edges worn and chipped, a little light crackling to surface, corners frayed. A very good copy, with interesting provenance. Armorial bookplate of Rugby School to ffep. Armorial gilt stamps to boards and bookplate to front paste-down, all of Sir Simon Richard Brissett Taylor, 2nd Baronet of Lysson Hall, Jamaica (1783-1815). He was nephew and heir to Simon Taylor (1740-1813), planter and slave owner who was at the time of his death one of the richest and most powerful men in Jamaica. Uncle and nephew were very close; an enormous amount of correspondence between the two still exists and is now housed at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies (University of London). Simon R.B. Taylor's library was eventually auctioned by R.H. Evans on 3rd June 1833. This setting of the title-page has 'auctior' in the edition statement and the second line of imprint ends 'Free-'. Another setting has 'auctor', and the second line of the imprint ends 'Freeman;'. Sir Henry Spelman (1563/4–1641), celebrated historian and antiquary, published the first part of this work (covering the letters A-L) in 1626 as Archaeologus. He had moved to London in 1612 and found himself part of an encouraging community of fellow scholars such as John Selden and in particular Sir Robert Cotton, whose extensive library he was allowed to use. Spelman's work required him to make sense of the meaning and usage of historic terminology used by the church and in common law, particularly Latin and Anglo-Saxon terms. It was this need that prompted him to begin work on what was to eventually become Archaeologus. Publication of the work, for which Spelman bore the full cost, was encouraged by a number of scholars including Peiresc, to whom Spelman sent samples prior to its release. The finished glossary 'encompassed the study of the usages, offices, ranks, ceremonies, and rules in the medieval church and law in the context of the words used in Europe' (ODNB). A great deal of Spelman's work remained incomplete or unpublished at the time of his death in 1641. William Dugdale (1605–1686), who had met Spelman in 1638, completed and saw to the publication of the remainder of the glossary, which first appeared as Glossarium Archaiologicum in 1664. ESTC R10264; Wing S4926 Ref: 51877

Spencer, Nathaniel, pseud. [Sanders, Robert]: The Complete English Traveller; or, a new survey and description of England and Wales. Containing A full Account of whatever is Curious and Entertaining In The Several Counties of England and Wales, The Isles of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, And other Islands adjoining to, and dependant o London: printed for J. Cooke, 1771. First edition. Folio, pp. iv, [iv], 696, [xii] + engraved frontispiece, 3 folding engraved maps, 57 engraved copper plates. 11cm closed tear to the largest map, fortunately only affecting the 'Northern Ocean' and stopping at the coast. Final 4 leaves repaired, the last 2 extensively, though the text remains legible. Occasional spots and smudges, some pale ink blots, a little light dampstaining to top corner of first few leaves. Contemporary calf, rebacked, red gilt morocco spine label. Endcaps very worn, upper joint splitting, rubbed, corners wearing, endpapers renewed. Earlier repairs beginning to deteriorate, but still a good, sound copy. Large armorial bookplate of Major Philip E. Back to front paste-down. 'Sanders (c.1727–1783), a writer and compiler of biographies, actually began his career as an apprentice comb maker. His passion for reading consumed his free time, and coupled with an extraordinary memory meant that he could spend his nights studying Latin, Greek, Hebrew, mathematics, and history. He moved to London in about 1760 and made his living there as a hack writer. After about four years in the capital he began compiling criminal biographies; these were first published in numbers, and then as The Newgate Journal, or, Malefactor's Bloody Register (5 vols., 1773). He was employed by George Lyttelton, first Baron Lyttelton in 1769 to correct for the press the third edition of his History of the Life of King Henry II. Sanders published The Complete English Traveller under the pseudonym 'Nathaniel Spencer', issuing it in 60 weekly numbers. A hefty travel guide, it was based partly on his own experience but was also informed by the travel writings of John Ray, Daniel Defoe and John Pennant. 'Sanders, who had a wife and five children to support, was always impoverished; he was described by the bookseller Henry Lemoine as 'one of the sons of misfortune, who, with a share of learning that might have entitled a less voluminous writer to a name among the literati, never emerged from obscurity' (GM, 311).' (ODNB) ESTC T124249 Ref: 50828